Pide

While both are popular Turkish flatbreads, Lahmacun is a very thin, round flatbread topped with a layer of spiced minced meat and baked crisp. Pide, often called "Turkish pizza," is thicker, shaped into an oval or boat with upturned edges, and can be topped with various meats, cheese, or eggs.

Traditional pide toppings include ground beef or lamb mixed with onions, peppers, and spices. It is also very common to top the dough with cheeses like Turkish kasar, spinach, or even cracked eggs that cook inside the boat-shaped crust as it bakes in a wood-fired oven.

While standard meat and cheese pide is eaten year-round, a specific plain version called "Ramazan Pidesi" becomes extremely popular during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. This particular pide is soft, round, and sprinkled with sesame seeds, meant to be eaten to break the daily fast.

To get an authentic texture and flavor, pide is traditionally baked in a very hot stone or wood-fired oven, often similar to a brick pizza oven. The high heat allows the thick crust to crisp up on the outside while remaining soft and chewy on the inside.